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Thursday, September 15

Taking A Break...

I have a little news to share regarding Clearly Besotted and I suppose the title of this post may give you a slight indication of what I have to say ;)

The Clearly Besotted store will be closing at the end of this month and will remain closed for the rest of the year.

I know, straight to the point right? I didn't want to mince my words, that comes later! There is so much to say on the matter and I hope I don't bore you all to tears, but I do believe some explanation is due :)

To start with, I am so proud of my little brand and incredibly grateful to all the wonderful customers and enthusiastic supporters who have championed our humble stamps over the past four fabulous years. I will never be able to thank you all enough. I have also been extremely fortunate to have had a lot of help along the way, in the form of many talented Guest Designers and of course, my dear friends (aka the Design Team) who are truly remarkable.

So why are we closing? The simple answer is...I'm tired. This year has been amazing in terms of growth but I am unable to sustain the number of working hours it is taking to keep the company running efficiently. In July of this year, our sales trebled, and although within the industry as a whole, we are minuscule, it has reached a point where for me, it is unmanageable.

My ever loyal and supportive (and long suffering!) husband, Dean, has always maintained that family comes first, above all else, and whilst he sticks to this rule, I, on the other hand have continuously flouted it. It is the only rule he tries to impose upon me and yet on too many occasions, I have broken it by prioritising my small business. There, I admitted it. It has put considerable strain on our marriage.

I share the following information with you, not to sing the praises of my husband, but to ensure he is not (unjustly) vilified for being a key factor in my decision. Dean has his own business to run, which is at present growing rapidly, placing more and more demands upon him. There have been occasions where he has requested my company at business functions and on overseas trips and not once have I accompanied him. In complete contrast, Dean could not do more more for his family. He frequently does the school runs when I'm too busy and he never misses a single school event. In the evenings and at weekends, he solely takes care of the children. And...this one is a biggie...he even does his own ironing ;) Where Clearly Besotted is concerned, the list of his contributions is long, but most notably, he subsidises the business financially. He has accompanied me when we exhibited at craft shows (doing most of the work) and on one occasion, he and the children flew all the way to Cincinnati with me so I could attend a fabulous craft retreat and meet my crafting idols. So, when he desperately asked me (again) to take a break from Clearly Besotted for the good of the family, I decided to do as I was told, just this once ;)

Moving forward, giving up Clearly Besotted completely is simply not an option for me. It has truly been a labour of love and I am not yet ready to close the book on this relationship! The plan is to transfer it into the safe, and capable, hands of my sister Jenny. However, Jenny still has a lot to learn which will take time, hence the closure.

All being well, the Clearly Besotted store will reopen in January / February with smaller bi-monthly releases and a much smaller inventory. Unfortunately, Jenny will not be subsidised by Dean (not being married to her, he is less inclined to keep her happy lol), so the price of the stamps will increase (yuck!) in order for the business to be financially viable.

As for me, I'll hopefully have more time to do what I enjoy the most...make cards! :D

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and I will do my best to answer them in this post. I am very sorry to have rambled on for so long, it's been quite cathartic getting it all off my chest!

108 comments:

You're human and you should consider it a triumph that Clearly Besotted has grown so much. I absolutely love your designs, stamps, cards and design team. Enjoy your break and your family! All the best to you!

Oh Stephanie you know how much I love you guys, I also know what a huge strain running a business can be so 100% understand why you are having to step away. But Jenny will do an amazing job, and if I can ever help in any way just shout. Enjoy your extremely well earned break. Sending lots and lots of hugs xxxxx

Gosh, I bet that was a hard decision to make, but well done on making it, and huge congrats on making such an impact with your business. It must be like putting your baby up for adoption! But I'm sure Jenny will carry on in your footsteps. Good luck for the future, and happy days with your family. Thank you xx

I know from my own experience just how much time and effort goes into running your own business. Deciding to take a break now is a very wise move, far better than doing as I did and keeping on pushing until ill health made me give up completely. Stepping back for a while will help you to come back refreshed and give you a chance to plan how to ease back into it at a much gentler pace, which will be good for all of you. We'll miss your fab monthly releases, but our credit cards won't!Jane

Completely understand why you need to do this. I'll miss the monthly releases, (my credit card won't!) and will be off to the shop to catch any I still need before you close. Look forward to seeing the brand back in the new year! xx

You have done an amazing job with Clearly Besotted Stephanie! Enjoy your well earned break and spending time with your family. You are to be admired. I will play with my collection - those reindeers! (love) - and wait patiently for CB's return!! xx Best wishes. :D

I'm so sorry to read this but absolutely family comes first. I am the proud owner of several of your sentiment sets which I love and use so much. Wishing you the very best for the future. Crafty hugs xx

Dear Stephanie, I am sorry and happy at the same time to hear these news. Happy to hear that you put family first, sad to miss seeing new releases each month, I have been a big fan of yours for a long, long time and it was sad for me when I wanted to place an order to Croatia and you had to decline due to post service.SO I humbly ask once again before you leave and leave us a bit broken hearted if I can place an order and you accept it for Croatia, it will make me very happy.Thanks,Maja

Love and hugs to you Stephanie, you have made the most amazing company out there, so pleased to hear and hopefully it will continue but more importantly you have made an amazing decision to be with family, who we only have one of..I cannot wait to see your creations, you are so talented, enjoy this time with your family, life is way too short...I look forward to Jan/Feb, love and hugs

So proud of you for your decision...our family motto is always family first too. It's so important for our health and well being. Look forward to seeing what Jenny brings forth and may you feel blessed in your decision to do the right thing.

Awww Stephanie, what a lovely read. So honest and true to your heart. I know when I gave up blogging, it was painful and that's no where near giving up a business! And such an amazing one at that. I totally get it and know you and your family will be happy to have each other to yourselves again. Without all the distractions. Very best wishes sweetie, I'm happy for you.Katie (your very first customer ;) ) xx

I'm happy you shared your story. You have to do what you feel is best (listen to your heart), regardless of how hard it might be. Like you said, this isn't a 'goodbye'. I'm sure your sister will do wonderfully at taking it over and I'll be looking forward to next year! And I also look forward to seeing your cards! :) Enjoy your family and all the new adventures that await...Best wishes and hugs!

Steph you have accomplished what you wanted to and that is to start your own compnay which has been a huge sucess and you should be very pleased. Your family has to come first and I you know your business will be in safe hands with Jenny..Take a well earned break with your family...take care

I love clearly besotted products, and say thanks for the personal touch when I received an order. Thats much appreciated! I totally can understand that you closes for a while. Family first is what we say always here in our house. Children grow so fast, and we can never do it again. So, go for it! Blessings!

I totally understand and respect your decision. A difficult one to make but now you've made it you can take a step back and stRt to enjoy every little minute with your family. Life is too short to run ourselves into the ground. Your products and designs will live on with us all until the beginning of next year when your sister takes over etc.... I'm a big fan of your amazing stamps which are so easy to use and are my main go to when I need to make a card. You should be so proud of what you've accomplished. It sounds like youve got an amazing family around you so enjoy each other. Life is so precious. Thank you for your amazing customer service, beautifully wrapped and posted too. It means a lot nowadays to have such a fantastic service. Take care sweetie. Big hugs xxxxx

Sending you big hugs Stephanie!!! I am so encouraged by you as you put your family first. I, too, am guilty of failing in this department quite often. You will never regret investing in what truly matters & I know Clearly Besotted will be blessed because of your sweet heart💓

I totally understand your difficult desicion Stephanie and as for me and all those other fans I am so happy that you aren't closing down your business but just taking a break. You always have to put familie first so I hope you will enjoy your time with them and will be able to make Some cards from time to time. I wish you all the best and thank you for your great business and encouragment.

Although this was sad news to take in I TRULY admire you for doing this!!! Family is a priceless gift and I know you and your family will be so blessed from this choice you are making! Have a wonderful break and enjoy every moment you have with your family!!

Good for you, sad for us but I respect your decision, although I never had a business, I can relate being married to a job and putting family second. I too made the decision to leave the job, put family first - sounds like he/they miss you 😉 You will not regret your decision, and thank you for sharing your 💜 with all of us, you are a talented, creative treasure. I thank your family for sharing you. Take care & may God bless you

I understand every word you say. I can imagine how much you love your little company and also totally understand your hubby's position. It's good to take a break. Take it as long as you and your family need it. Just relax. The most important thing about life is living. ;o)

You are a victim of your own success! I get it, so much. I found the same with my soap company ... I was working my full time job, and then home to work another full night and all weekends. It gets too much... especially when you have the demands of family and another business. There's only so far that you can stretch and something has to give. I do not regret closing down my business (I can always start again) so it was a great relief to me to actually have a little spare time!

So go and enjoy your family - enjoy your kids growing up and being with your hubby. Enjoy your time... and you will free time now too! You did an amazing job and I'm sure Jenny will continue on the same too ... so go and enjoy your life!

Dear Steph, I do hope that you feel loved and appreciated when you read these supportive messages from your friends and customers. You know that you must be doing the right thing when, even though we all love those gorgeous stamps of yours, we all totally agree that you are doing the right thing. Will you be missed? Without a doubt! Will we be thinking of you every time we reach for one of those lovely sets of stamps? Of course we will! Are we Brits proud of you? Abso-jolly-lutely! Where else would the stampers of the world get so much joy receiving those lovely pink packages, with amazing thank you cards? (Who else has them all pinned to their craft room notice board?). You've given us so much joy, now take time to share that joy with your loved ones. Get excited about what the next stage of your life will bring, whatever it may be, just as we will get excited if and when Jenny can bring CB back to us one day.Au revoir, big hugs until next time xxxxxxx

Aw massive big hugs and huge kudos for a great decision. My bank account will appreciate a break from buying your utterly irresistible stamps but I will sorely miss you and the excitement of releases. I will of course support Jenny wholeheartedly in the new year and cheerfully pay increased prices, if they are bi monthly I can afford to lol.

You're so sweet explaining this to us, and your family are lucky to have someone as awesome as you. We are in turn lucky to have had the stamps so far and to have Jenny to look after us in future.

Although it's hard to let go for awhile you've made the right decision to put family first! Your marriage and children are far more important! Go enjoy being a wife and Mom without the extra stress of your business!

What a wonderful way to honor your husband! I admire you. Have a wonderful time with your husband and family. Sometimes we have to let go for awhile but in the future we maybe able to start again. I am in a place where I want to start on these crafting journey but see now I may not be able to. At least until my youngest is older. May God bless you on this new venture.

What a post ! I'm devastated i think you are the nicest small business ever !!!! I love your products, but I'm hoping that next year we will still see CB and able to buy. You have done fantastic to juggle and I don't blame you putting the family first. Take care and thanks for everything in the stamp & die world xx

I don't know about you crying Stephanie, but I ran downstairs to tell my other half and my voice was shaking. I am so in admiration of you making this really tough decision - it is the right one for you and your family and that is what matters above and beyond anything. I am also so happy that Jenny is going to be continuing the business on a smaller scale - I don't think any of us want to see it end - we love it. But I am also sad for you because I can tell how much you loved it and how hard it is to let go and that will take some getting used to. What a fantastic achievement for you to have to let go because of it's success and not because the brand didn't take off. Take some time out, enjoy your famuily time and making cards xx

I am a fan of your products and amazing service. I am sad and disappointed about your leave, but I TOTALLY understand/agree that family is #1 priority. Your much needed precious family time will give you joy, serenity and clarity. Sending giant hugs across the Atlantic ocean.

Oh so sorry to see the short closing, but so glad it isn't forever. With that being said I hope you have the time you need for yourself and your family and thank you for all you've provided our crafting company with!

I've been checking every single day since you mentioned an announcement was coming. I was hoping it was a baby. Lol! Well, I'm officially in tears. I've said again and again that I love this company because of the people behind it, namely YOU! It doesn't hurt that I also love your products. ;) I Applaud you so much for the decision you have made. Dean seems like a keeper and all-star husband. You make an incredible pair and I think you are wonderful to keep your family front and center. Sending my biggest hugs and blessings to you!

I can't lie and say I won't miss you, because I really will; so much!!

Clearly Besotted fast became my favourite brand of stamps when I saw them on a Michelle Short you tube video a few years back, & my room is now overflowing with pink packaging in my stamp storage!!

BUT, I respect you for your honesty, and for your wonderful family values. We're only human, & I'm not entirely sure how you've run CBS so amazingly, & still looked after 2 children and a home (& husband)!!!

Wishing you all the best with exciting family fun and adventures Stephanie!!!

And I look forward to seeing what the future holds for CBS and Jenny next year too!!

Awww it must have been such a hard decision Love your products and your customer service and customer care is second to none and you have become my default go to stamp company. But that is nothing compared to family, without being maudlin, the years go by so quickly and being there while they grow and cherishing your marriage is not a defeat nor retrench but a prioritising of your life. Good luck and I will still support clearly besotted in the new Jenny world but good luck in everything you and your family undertake

Stephanie, your post has moved me to tears because, yes, I will miss CB posts/products, but mainly because the love you have for your husband and family is exponentially heart-warming and touching. What a wonderful husband you have and I agree completely that your relationship needs to be a priority. The decision you've made will bring you success in every way possible, be that in your marriage, in your family life, in your personal growth, in your daily happiness and joy. You're embarking on the right path and should be proud in taking this somewhat scary, but essentially positive first step. I know Dean is deeply proud of you! As for Jenny: applauding her willingness to take over the reins. Wish I lived closer so I could help but alas, living over the pond makes that impractical. Still...if there's anything I can do, despite the distance, I'm only an email away! You are a treasure; you are loved. We want what is best for you and I'm applauding that you do, too!Mega hugs, much love!~c

I support you and all you do! And have a tremendous amount of respect for you. You MUST follow your heart and as you said, family comes first! You rock now more than ever! I love your line and look forward to its return next year!!!!!!

Well you haven't bored me to tears, but I am teary-eyed because your post was so moving. I am so sorry the store is closing even temporarily - your stamps are some of my absolute favourites. It must have been a hard decision but I think you have made the right one - family definitely comes first. Your husband sounds like a very good man, and your marriage and family are Priority #1. I wish you all the best! Also I also wish Jenny the best as she takes over the shop!

What a tough decision! The right ones always are. I will miss you, but look forward to the brand returning in the New Year. Just stamped up my Vikings from August and coloured them in. Your stuff is so lovely, and whatever happens in the future, you should know you've always been my first love - everything else has been ships that pass in the night ;) xxx

Both you and your company are loved, you have to do what is best for you! I am just SO relieved CB isn't closing for good! Enjoy your well deserved break and we all look forward to the store reopening in January (smaller releases mean I can finally keep up with them!! Not a bad thing at all!) Sending hugs! <3

Sitting here packing orders at something to midnight I sooooo know where you are coming from! Wishing you and Dean and the kiddos some wonderful fun family times and wishing Jenny the best of British as she takes the reins!Tarax

Good for you Hun !! The company will be there waiting for you and so will we Stephanie. I think you have made the right choice. Remember we work to live, not live to work and your family is priority. Take great care and enjoy yourself and looking forward to seeing you next year xx

way to go! Family definitely comes first and if you have the ability to step away and enjoy them, DO IT! The fact that your business has been getting too big to handle is a testament to the quality of your product :) Hope to see a refreshed you next year in craftland.

Stephanie you've built up an incredible business, pretty much another baby and you've made a heart wrenching and brave decision to step back for your gorgeous family. I've also had to walk away from a business as I know it eats into every waking moment. Obviously we are all sad and love you, your perfect stamps, awesome customer service and stunning attention to detail but your family comes first. I'll treasure your stamps even more... They alone got me out of digi stamps lol!!! All the very best for whatever the future holds and I'll be watching out for the pink and grey logo as and when Jenny decided the time is right. Love and hugs Sarah xx

Sad to hear your news and would like to thank you for your lovely inspiring stamps, fantastic customer service and attention to detail. I admire you for making the decision you have and wish you and Dean all the best. Taking time out to make cards using your stamps have helped me through a difficult time in my relationship.

Look forward to seeing Clearly Besotted back with Jenny in the New Year or when the time is right and also looking forward to seeing your fantastic creations. Hugs Jayne xx

I applaud you, Stephanie! The most important decisions are often the hardest. The awesome thing is that CB will always be there for you when you are ready, be it a few months or a few years. Sadly, we don't have that luxury with our precious family. Your successful legacy cannot be erased. Thank you for your wonderful designs and the gorgeous cards they have inspired. Wishing you and your family a wonderful next chapter. You deserve it! Warm wishes, Hazel xx

Arrrrh Steph, you have made the right decision and I admire you for that, Dean is right, family first (as much as I hate to admit men are right...lol) The time-out will do you the world of good and you can get back to your real true love, card making. It's been so nice to have known you and met you too and I hope you won't be a stranger in blogland.

Great for you both, we recently had to make the same hard decision but seeing the family flourish was worth it. Dean thanks you for sharing you wife and her time with us but good on you for claiming family time back. Good Luck Jennifer, we will miss the stamps and goodies but this mean we can save up pennies and clear you out when you return so make sure to return with lots of stock:)

Your stamps quickly became one of my favorite brands because of their creativity and beautiful florals. I am happy for your success and also happy that you have the strength and courage to make the decisions that are right for you. New beginnings are hard, but they frequently bring us the greatest rewards and satisfaction. Wishing you all the best --

Aw bless you, I fully understand - your family comes first. You have made a difficult, and the right, decision! I wish you and your family the best of luck! Love and hugs! Christine xxxxxxx. Be happy! xxxxxxx

I can only imagine what it takes to run such a successful and thriving business like this! I totally understand where you are coming from when it comes to the family and how they come first. Enjoy the time off with them and soak it all in because you kiddies will grow fast. I thank you for such an honest and open post and hope that when you return in the new year you are refreshed and your family is stronger and happier! Hugs!

I am so sorry to hear this but understand and agree with your decision. Since your company has been so successful and, is now at a point of growth, I wonder if one of the larger companies might be willing to buy your company and let you run it, something like Cosmo Cricket has done. This industry has a lot of supportive business owners that might provide guidance. Good luck!

I am so proud of you for putting your family first. The relationship you have with your husband and kids will always be more important than any business- even one that makes amazing stamps and dies. ;) We definitely need more intact and healthy families in the world today. I can't imagine how hard this decision has been because Clearly Besotted has been your baby, as well. However, I believe you will be rewarded for making this choice. Your husband is definitely not the villian- he is a man who has worked to make sure his family is healthy and happy. I'm proud of him for not giving up, too. Have a wonderful time relaxing with your family! I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing what Clearly Besotted will bring us in the future!

I feel *so* lucky to have several Clearly Besotted stamp and die sets and look forward to getting more next year when Clearly Besotted re-opens. What a difficult decision for the best reason! Wishing you and yours all the best! And thanks so much for providing such wonderful products. I'm happy that Jenny will be keeping Clearly Besotted up and running.

You are truly an example of a wonderful wife and mom. I didn't own my own business but once my youngest went to kindergarten, I made the choice to work outside the home. I didn't have to work so when I decided that over the years my kids activities and dinner together every night were most important, I stuck to it and like you I was very lucky to have a great husband. Enjoy your new family time and I look forward to your sister returning next year. I do love your product.

Life is always bound to throw us some curves (and some, I admit, are doozies!), but it's how we bounce back from them that count. I have every faith that we'll see you "in the biz" again, Stephanie! And in the meantime, we can continue to enjoy your gorgeous card creations :-) I understand all too well the time commitment it takes to run a business (I own my own). One can't simply do a 9-to-5 and put it "on hold" until the next day - it's always your baby to take care of, 24/7.You have a young, loving family so now it's time to take care & enjoy them - you'll thank yourself later when they're grown and this special time is gone too fast.Very best wishes to you and continued success to Jenny!

I am sorry to read your news but understand completely. My very best wishes go to you and your family. I have been more than happy with your products, always loved receiving my items, such attention to detail. Wishing your sister every success and hopefully you will see your 'baby' flourish.

I am your old follower, Stephanie. I love your works and I love Clearly Besotted. You did a big and difficult way. Now you made the decision, important and necessary for you, and I will look forward to your new cards and new releases of Clearly Besotted. Good luck to you and many happy returns to you and your family. Hugs, Helena

Dear Stephanie, I simply had to leave a comment after browsing crafty blogland on my Kindle, stopping by Stamping & Sharing to catch up. Wow! Wasn't expecting that announcement. Totally understand. You have to get the work/life balance right.

I remember years ago, probably 2009/2010, contacting you to ask what make your craft storage was (when you had all that lovely brown storage). It looked so elegant. You replied so quickly with details. And I was amazed at the sheer number of cards you'd make at Christmas.

When you started Clearly Besotted Stamps, I managed to resist to begin with. I already had 100s of stamps and dies. I didn't need more. Did I? :-) Eventually though resistance proved futile. I've now got almost 70 CBS stamp sets, with matching dies for those that have them.

Like others, I'll miss CBS, though my bank manager will no doubt be relieved :-).

It can't have been an easy decision. But having made it, you'll no doubt feel relief. Enjoy the time with your family. Best wishes for the future. Look forward to 2017 for the next CBS chapter with Jenny.

Stephanie, it's been a pleasure to purchase many stamps and dies from you . The attention to detail and customer service from Jenny and yourself has always been of the highest standard . I wish you every happiness and look forward to buying more stamps and dies from Jenny at Clearly Besotted next year. Hope we will still hear from you and see your cards on your blog , Stephanie.

Though this was certainly a difficult decision to make, I completely understand that you put family first because family should always be the first priority, no matter what. Your kids are still young and this time passes so quickly, so you should enjoy all those beautiful moments with your husband and the kids and do stamping "just for fun". I can only imagine how time consuming such a business is and if there is only few time left for the family, it's best to take a break.As you know, I love your stamps and I've always very much appreciated the great service you provided. For you, custom service is not "an empty phrase", but it actually means what it says and for that I thank you very much. I look forward to the re-opening of the store and I'm sure that Jenny will provide great stamps, just as you did in the past.I wish you and your family all the best for the future and hope we will see your great cards from time to time.

I truly love Clearly Besotted stamps! I totally understand why you are doing this. I have a question- what about digital stamps and/or digital cut files for the stamps that you will/do have? This way, you may be able to at least keep a slightly larger inventory. Also, many people are going to digital stamps. I'm not saying go away from physical stamps, but offer both. In this way, you would be catering to both type of card maker. You could do the same with the die or cut file. Basically, offer your customers the choice at the same time of keeping it a small business. As much as I'm sad, your husband is so right- family comes first, 100% of the time. The children will only be this age for a little time- enjoy them!!! Please email me about the digital stamp idea at hovermalej2230@gmail.com. Thank you and good luck!!!!!

Stephanie, for so small of a business, you and Clearly Besotted have made a huge impact on the industry! I've noticed several companies releasing stamps similar to your months after your releases. You are a trendsetter!! I love all of my CB sets and hope I can add a few more before the break. Much love and hugs...

So sorry to see you go, but family is everything and I completely understand that, it must have been a tough decision. My husband thought he had Christmas all wrapped up when I showed him my Wishlist, he's almost as broken hearted as I am. Enjoy your break its well deserved and can't wait to see you back in The new year.

Wish you and your family all the best!! Will certainly miss your fabulous stamps, but for sure family comes first!! Hope Jenny will get into the groove of things and keep up the good work in a way that's right for her :) Thanks a million for everything, take care and enjoy your family and have tons of fun crafting!! Big warm hugs and smiles, Linda

It takes courage to put family interests first. Your company has grown and people love your stamps and design team. I wish you well as you reorganize, and turn over some of the operations to your sister. Best wishes and enjoy the time you have given to your family/

Stephanie, without a doubt you are one to be admired for not only creating a successful business, but for making an extremely difficult decision. I just have to add that your husband sounds like one incredible man; not only does your story convey how supportive he is to you and CB, but it speaks volumes to me for how much he loves you! He is one very wise man too!

I am an older crafter but I can tell you that everything will be ok sweetie...trust in your decision because you've already made all your dreams come true! Your loyal customers will be here waiting for you upon your return.

Family first, sweetie. Business is great, but it won't keep you warm at night. I'm glad you've made this decision, as much as I love your stamps. We'll find you and wait for the renaissance of the company in its new form in the new year.

oh i'm so sad to hear this...I jsut sent someone over , oops but I understand your position and your husband's. It's sad though it has become too successful in a way, you need to do what's best for you. I love all your products and the amazing cuteness of your stamps, and i;d be sad to see them dissapear

Stephanie, kuddos to you for making this very tough decision. Though all of us will undoubtly miss you, your loving husband and children need you, too! Good luck to Jenny, we'll support her too. We hope to see you on the flip side!Love & hugs

Just came to order some new stamps to see the sad news, however family does come first but I certainly hope we shall be seeing your beautiful stamps and designs in the future. Lots of crafty hugs Emma xx

I'm really sorry to hear your news Stephanie, but I totally understand your decision. Going forward, less releases is probably a good idea ... will certainly help my bank account! I've always loved your stamps from the very beginning & look forward to seeing more next year.In the meantime, please keep sharing the cards you make & enjoy the special time with your family. Take care xxx

I'm happy to hear that you are putting your family 1st. So any families forget to do this and fall apart and the children suffer. Take all the time you need. We will be here waiting patiently with bells on our toes for your cute, beautiful, fun, amazing designs.

Your sister Jenni will do a great job. A huge stress will be lifted with only having bi-monthly releases (less stress on my bank account too). I hope you are doing well and enjoying your family and your sanity. Before you come back make sure you have your priorities set even if you have to make a list, even post it everwhere. We don't want you to loose out on your family and the memories. Even if you need to close up forever. We will understand. Enjoy your life..take a deep breath, open your eyes and fallow your heart!!! Happy New Year!!!!